


Quench

by GoddessofBirth



Category: Firefly
Genre: Everybody's legal, F/M, Post BDM
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-17
Updated: 2013-03-17
Packaged: 2017-12-05 13:48:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/723972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoddessofBirth/pseuds/GoddessofBirth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Jayne is again stuck with doing the dirty work, quite literally, and River takes pity on him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Quench

Jayne muttered and cursed as he angrily thrust the point of the shovel into the ground over and over again.

 

Why'd it always have to be him as had to bury the payload? And not just a little ways down, neither. This time Mal'd gotten all captain-y and ordered him to make sure the damn thing was six gorram feet underground. Well, he had news for Mal; when time came to unearth it, either the buyers were doing it, or the captain could dig it out his own damn self.

 

It was hot as a whore's unders on whatever ass-end-a-the-'verse planet they were on – Jayne couldn't be bothered to find out exactly which one – and he'd shucked his shirt after only five minutes in the blazing sun. He had rivulets of sweat dripping down his skin, and combined with the bits of dirt that sifted off the shovel every time he threw it over his shoulder, his chest and arms were streaked black and brown with gritty dust.

 

He paused and rubbed an arm over his forehead in an attempt to get the sweat out of his eyes, but only succeeded in smearing another line of grime down the side of his face before peering into the hole and judging the depth sufficient.

 

He'd been at it for a good two hours, scrapping and scrabbling in the rocky soil, and he'd long since drank his canteen dry. As he levered the box into the opening, he sucked at the inside of his cheeks, fruitlessly trying to work up some kind of spit to moisten his mouth. All out of water and facing an unpleasant two mile hike before he was near any hope of more.

 

He picked up the shovel and began repacking the dirt, all the while his thoughts spiraling angrier and fouler. He hoped the Doc would be the first person he saw when he got back to the ship. He needed a an idiot to take his temper out on, and the prissy pants would be sure to have something smart ass to say about his cleanliness. A good right hook would shut him up fast enough, though.

 

'If you continue to plan violence against the girl's brother, she will be forced to drink the water she brought for you, herself.

 

He jerked his head up and at first wasn't sure if she was a mirage or not – it was that hazy and hot - but she was holding a canteen in her hand and he could see by the condensation on the metal surface that the water in it was still cold. He figured if he _was_ imagining her, it was a hallucination he was just gonna go with.

 

She walked down the little rise she was on, her gauzy dress swishing around her legs, feet bare and dark with dirt, although the rest of her was remarkably clean. He had no idea how she managed not to burn her soles clean off. When she got close, he held out his hand for the water, but she stopped just out of arms reach and jerked it back, over her head.

 

'First you must promise. No hurting Simon today because you can't hit captain-daddy. He's planning on asking Kaylee very important things tonight, and he won't if his eye is black. Promise.' She shook the canteen, the water inside sloshing enticingly.

 

'Fine,' he snarled. 'Won't hit 'em. But if he can't keep his tongue in his mouth, I ain't makin' no guarantees 'bout the kinda language he'll be hearin'.'

 

'Acceptable.' She stepped closer and screwed the cap from the aluminum container before relinquishing it to him.

 

He drank greedily, gulping repeatedly without pausing to breathe. When he finally pulled the canteen away from his mouth he wiped his lips with the back of his hand.

 

River was examining him with narrowed eyes.

 

'You have become very dirty.'

 

He snorted. 'S'what happens when a man works, Crazy. Ain't got no need to be prettified like yer brother no how.'

 

She took the water from him and daintily sipped a mouthful before unwinding the cloth she'd tucked around her neck to block the worst of the sand. To his horror she upended the canteen on it, soaking the fabric until nothing but drops were left.

 

' _Gorramit_! You realize how long a walk it's gonna be without water?'

 

She didn't answer, instead folding the scarf into a neat square and stepping into him. She slowly dragged the makeshift rag across his chest and arms, cleaning the dirt from his skin. She worried her lip as she concentrated on her task, and when his front was as clean as it was likely to get, she slid around him, running the cloth down his back and up his spine.

 

The water rapidly evaporated from his flesh, cooling both his body and his temper, and by the time she worked her way back around to his front, most of his anger had disappeared. She stood on her tiptoes and pressed the rag against his cheek, and he turned his face into her hand.

 

'Sorry, _bao bei_.'

 

'Hmm,' she twisted her mouth. 'You are very growly today.'

 

He rammed the shovel point into the ground and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest. 'Yeah. Didn't mean ta snap atcha though.'

 

She pressed her lips against the shiny spot just under his third rib, where Mal had shot him when he'd first stumbled upon them, finding the two of them in a position not at all conducive to revelations of new relationships. 'All is forgiven.'

 

He drew back so that he could see her face. 'Why're you here anyhow? Ain't you supposed ta be coverin' the exchange?'

 

She shook her head. 'The hand off will be without complication. I won't be missed. Wanted to stop you from completing the burial so as to save you the task of the resurrection. And to quench your thirst.'

 

He pressed his lips to her temple, tasting the slight tang of sweat mixed with her normal flavor. 'Well, I'm quenched now, but suddenly I'm startin' ta get all kinds of hungry.' He ran his hand up her side to cup her breast and thumb her nipple through the fabric.

 

She raised her eyebrow. 'Your appetite is strangely insatiable. No matter how often the girl feeds it, he always needs more.' She slid her palms across his skin and then trailed her fingers along the lines of his illiac crests.

 

His chest rumbled with a pleased growl. 'Always will, too; ain't never gonna get full up on you.' The sun had slipped just past its zenith, and he squinted at the shimmery dot in the distance that was the ship. 'How much longer?'

 

'Captain has just been paid; moving now to pleasantries.'

 

Jayne rolled his eyes and bent down to grab the rope still attached to the chest. He planted his feet and hauled it roughly up, deftly untied it and then shouldered it with one arm. 'Come on. Let's get this shit back while he's still kissin' ass, and then you can let me thank ya proper like fer all yer trouble.' He waggled his eyebrows and leered down at her.

 

She picked up the abandoned shovel and tucked the handle underneath her arm. 'Excellent idea. But showers first. I found sand for weeks after the last time.'

 

His eyes turned unfocused as he went to a place of soapy, slippery, wet-fleshed River and she was ten paces past him by the time he blinked back to reality. He hitched the chest higher and caught up quickly, wrapping her free hand in his.

 

'I like the way yer mind works, baby girl. Most def'nitely do.'

 

She flashed him a wry smile, pulling him faster toward the ship and their room. Behind them, the wind grabbed and picked up his forgotten shirt, blowing it across the valley to parts unknown.


End file.
